Saturday, December 17, 2011

Well this is it, the last IPRS of 2011. But that doesn't mean there aren't more CDs from 2011 that I've yet to play. In fact, there are still releases that I am eagerly awaiting, like the new Paul Cusick CD. Today's radio show was supposed to be a Christmas special, but with so many new releases this year, I just couldn't pass up playing some more of them.

The IPRS will return around the 16th of January 2012 with new music and interviews. Don't forget to send me your Top 10 of 2011 via e-mail (progrockshow(at)hotmail.com). Or, you can go to the IPRS Facebook page, ask to be made a member of the group, and add your list to the one already there. You've have until the middle of January to be one of 4 winners to receive a free CD. So get cracking.

And too all of you, thank you for listening during this last year, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you in 2012!!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Hello dear listeners. Here it is, the next to last International Prog Rock Show of 2011. New and interesting prog is on the menu yet again, with Touchstone leading the way with their great release called "The City Sleeps".

Last week's show (97) had a couple of songs by Ali Ferguson from his "The Windmills and the Stars" release. I would like to thank Henk Smit for turning me on to this artist. Henk sent me his list for the Top CDs of 2011, and a couple of artists on his list, including Ali Ferguson, were unknown to me, which lead me to find out more abut them. Thanks Henk.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Welcome listeners! This week's radio show showcased still new releases from 2011. Christmas is upon us and I must make this blog short and sweet. I will add more later about my thoughts on the music played this week.

The playlist was as follows:

1- The Riddle, by The Psychedelic Ensemble (The Dream of the Magic Jongleur, 2011)2- Hidden Instruments, by Ali Ferguson (The Windmills and the Stars, 2011)3- A Child's Song, by Ali Ferguson (The Windmills and the Stars, 2011)4- Think of the Children Part I, by Also Eden (Think of the Children, 2011)5- Hiding in Plain Sight, by Also Eden (Think of the Children, 2011)6- Oversight, by Also Eden (Think of the Children, 2011)7- Cijfers, by Also Eden (Think of the Children, 2011)8- Klubkin's Voyage Part II, by Quorum (Klubkin's Voyage, 2011)9- So Tired, by Quorum (Klubkin's Voyage, 2011)10- The Rise of Brighteye Brison, by Brighteye Brison (The Magician Chronicles Part I, 2011)11- Island Noises, by Poor Genetic Material (Island Noises, 2011)12- Mysterious Swamp, by Andy Tillison Diskdrive (Murk, 2011)13- Paper Monkeys, by Ozric Tentacles (Paper Monkeys, 2011)14- Will of the Wisps, by Ozric Tentacles (Paper Monkeys, 2011)15- High Times, by Three (The Ghost You Gave to Me, 2011)16- One with the Sun, by Three (The Ghost You Gave to Me, 2011)17- The Ghost You Gave to Me, by Three (The Ghost You Gave to Me, 2011)18- Have a Cigar, by Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here "Immersion Box Set", 2011)

As always, if you love the music, purchase the CDs or downloads directly from the artists by clicking on the links provided above, or through your favorite retailer.

Friday, November 25, 2011

On this week's show, more new releases! But first, the big news this past week was the announcement that Nick D'Virgilio was leaving Spock's Beard. This is the second major defection from this great band. This first, when Neal Morse left the music business, albeit temporarily, was akin to Peter Gabriel leaving Genesis. Nick came out from behind the drums, as did Phil Collins, to take over the vocal duties. Now, Nick has left, but his reasons are sensible, and it is without accrimony. Read more on his website. I wish Nick well in his future endeavors, and wish the rest of the Beard well in theirs.

With the coming of the first snow here in Montreal comes the new Kate Bush CD aptly named "50 Words for Snow". It is a wonderful album, and musically it is much more stripped down than what we had been used to by Kate. The consumate artist, Kate Bush has given us wonderful music through all these years, and today she brings us on a musical journey through snow covered landscapes.

After an absence of 8 years, Hungarian band After Crying has now released "Creatura", a wonderfully complexe album which I hope you will like. With four parts, each starting with the same leitmotiv, each song is titled on one of the cardinal points.

The Stevegane Project is the first CD by Pascal Stevegane, a french guitarist which shows a lot of promise as a solo artist. He says his influences are Pink Floyd, Yes, Rush, and Rainbow, but I feel his music is more in the vein of Mike Oldfield, in that it is richly textured and the guitar plays an important part. A great beginning.

As for the other artists featured today, Knight Area, Landscape, and The Psychedelic Ensemble, I'll have more to say later. As for The Anabasis, I refer you to the progmistress's review (click on one of the blogs I follow).

BTW, if you are living in the Montreal or Toronto area, Sun Domingo will be coming to town during the first week of December. Sun Domingo, as you all should know, is the band that has been opening for Marillion at most Weekends these past few years, and they are scheduled to open for Marillion on their North American tour next year. Now is your chance to see a whole Sun Domingo show, as headliners, playing their latest album, the excellent Songs for End Times, and playing the whole of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. This is a show not to be missed.

Now on with the radio show.

The playlist was as follows:

1- A Guy Named Sid, by Spock's Beard (Feel Euphoria, 2003)2- Beautiful, by Nick D'Virgilio (Pieces, 2011)3- Hold the Line, by Nick D'Virgilio (Pieces, 2011)4- Egypt, by The Anabasis (Back from Being Gone, 2011)5- Snowed in at Wheeler Street, by Kate Bush (50 Words for Snow, 2011)6- Misty, by Kate Bush (50 Words for Snow, 2011)7- Eszack (North), by After Crying (Creatura, 2011)8- Summerland, by Knight Area (Nine Paths, 2011)9- Wakerun, by Knight Area (Nine Paths, 2011)10- The Green Eyes, by Stevegane Project (When Time Is a Present, 2011)11- Glass Curtain, by Landscape (Outside of Nowhere, 2011)12- Through the Prism of Time, by Landscape (Outside of Nowhere, 2011)13- The Quest, by The Psychedelic Ensemble (The Dream of the Magic Jongleur, 2011)14- The Secrets of Your Mind, by The Psychedelic Ensemble (The Dream of the Magic Jongleur, 2011)

As always, if you love the music purchase the CDs either through the artists (links above), or through your favorite retailer.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Hello dear listeners. This week's radio show devotes itself to live releases. Usually I don't play live releases on the IPRS, devoting most of the 3 hour show to recent studio releases, but a lot of great sounding live releases have come out recently, of which the new Unitopia CD (and DVD, which is a must buy) One Night in Europe, chronicling the band's first european tour. Also, the Peter Gabriel New Blood CD and DVD which, regardless of what some think of his studio effort "Scratch My Back", brings new life, thus New Blood, to his musical legacy. Some artists do the "unplugged" album with acoustic equivalents to their usual instruments, as Marillion did on the "Live from Cadogan Hall", others use the full force of an acoustic orchestra, which Gabriel chose to magnificent effect.

Speaking of symphonic, The Enid released Live at the Town Hall earlier this year, and my hope is that they release a recording of their own concert using a symphony orchestra. If their ever was one band who's style is perfectly adapted for this treatment, it's The Enid.

And on the "When is it too much" front, all members, save one, of Transatlantic have had live releases this year, either with their own bands or with the aforementioned super group: the Flower Kings, Marillion, Spock's Beard, Neal Morse, and... Transatlantic themselves. With an aptly titled "More Is Never Enough", they release yet another live album (with DVD) of their last tour, and this time it's two different shows with two different vibes. Hopefully this one, though good, is enough... for now.

The playlist was as follows:

1- The Sum of No Reason, by The Flower Kings (Tour Kaputt, 2011)2- Daydreamer's Nightmare, by Mangrove (Live Beyond Reality, 2011)3- Dark Hydrolic, by The Enid (Live at the Town Hall, 2011)4- Signal to Noise, by Peter Gabriel (New Blood Live in London, 2011)5- Intruder, by Peter Gabriel (New Blood Live in London, 2011)6- This Is England, by It Bites (It Happened One Night, 2011)7- The Garden, by Unitopia (One Night in Europe, 2011)8- The Answering Machine, by Marillion (Live from Cadogan Hall, 2011)9- Alien Messiah, by Pallas (High Voltage, 2011)10 - The Light, by Spock's Beard (High Voltage, 2011)11- Sola Scriptura, by Neal Morse (Testimony 2: Live in Los Angeles, 2011)12 - The Whirlwind, by Transatlantic (More Is Never Enough, 2011)

As always, if you like the music, please purchase the CDs directly from the artists' web sites or through your favorite retailer. Keep music alive!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Hello dear listeners.The big news today that I didn't touch on during the radio show, since I learned about it after the show, is that EMI music has been purchased by Universal Music Group and Sony Corp. How is it important for us as prog fans? Well a lot of great prog bands started on EMI (or Harvest, which was a subsiduary of EMI), like Marillion, Pallas, and of course Pink Floyd. They were also the home of The Beatles! At one point in the 80s EMI was instrumental in the revival of prog, what we now call the Neo-Prog movement, by signing bands that had a certain following at the Marquee and elsewhere around the UK. Of course, as with any corporate music business, they dumped a lot of bands for lack of sales, but that is the nature of the music business... business!! They usually go where the winds of money go. Anyway, how will that affect us prog fans? Well, not much since most of the back catalogues have been sold with the company. Most of the profits from the recently released (and forthcoming releases) of the Pink floyd catalogue will go to the new Universal/Sony alliance. As for bands who still don't own the full rights to their own songs? I don't know exactly how that affects them... how that affects their future purchasing of their own rights. I will try and find out!One last thing: next week's radio show will last 4 hours, and will concentrate on the live releases of 2011.The play list was as follow:

1- Lentamente, by Doracor (La Vita Che Cade, 2011)2- Settimo Cielo, by Doracor (La Vita Che Cade, 2011)3- So Far and So Near, by Eternal Wanderers (So Far and So Near, 2011)4- Mounds, by Eternal Wanderers (So Far and So Near, 2011)5- The Wiki Man, by The Tangent (COMM, 2011)6- Prologue, by Seven Steps to the Green Door (The Book, 2011)7- The Empty Room, by Seven Steps to the Green Door (The Book, 2011)8- The Green Door, by Seven Steps to the Green Door (The Book, 2011)9- One Last Au Revoir, by Arena (The Seventh Degree of Separation, 2011)10- Catching the Bullet, by Arena (The Seventh Degree of Separation, 2011)11- Welcome to The Institute of Modern Love Part I, by The Institute of Modern Love (Welcome to The Institute of Modern Love EP, 2011)12- Impression IV, by Lunatic Soul (Impressions, 2011)13- Impression VI, by Lunatic Soul (Impressions, 2011)14- Snuff, by Mogon (Colossus, Forthcoming 2012)15- Enchanted, by After... (No Attachements, 2011)16- Gone in the Blink of an Eye, by Unitopia (One Night in Europe, 2011)17- Raving and Drooling, by Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here (Experience Edition), 2011)

As always, if you like the music, purchase the CDs by following the links or by going to your favorite retailer.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Yes, it's that time of year again! The time of year where I ask you to list your Top 10 or Top 20 CDs of the year. As I did on previous years, I will compile a list based on your lists and play the songs on the radio show sometime in January. So click on COMMENT and write down your lists, or send your list at progrockshow@hotmail.com. Prog On!!

Hello dear listeners! First, a bit of news on the Prog front. Having announced their first North american tour since 2004 last week, Marillion tickets have now gone on sale in certain cities. Grab them while you can, I have a feeling they will sell like hot cakes! They have also announced that the setlists will change from show to show, sometimes even drastically, so that fans that didn't get a chance to see them live in a long while will at least get a taste of their large back catalogue of songs. That also means that real fans who go to two or more shows will at least hear different songs from one show to the next. I guess that they will make these live shows available to purchase throught their website as they did for the Less Is More and the Happiness tours, although that has not been confirmed.

As I mentioned during the radio show, this year has been a year of plenty when it comes to prog releases of quality, making it really really difficult to choose a Record of the Year. A lot of CDs are in my top of the year, more than 10... There are more than 20 that I consider "must buys" for any prog fan, a sampling of which you can hear on today's radio show. So this year I have decided that I won't make a distinction between the number 1 and the number 20 on my Top 20 list of 2011 that will be broadcast in January. Instead it will be titled "The Top CDs that everyone should have in his collection". That doesn't stop anyone from making a top 10 or top 20 list of their favorites of the year and send them to me. As with years past, I will compile a list from the listeners choices and play those songs on a special "Listener's Choice" radio show that will preceed my own list. So get going and send me your choices even though the year hasn't ended (You can ammend your list later).

The playlist was as follows:

1- Wild Man (Single Version), by Kate Bush (50 Words for Snow, Forthcoming 2011)2- Reconditioned Nightmare, by Steve Hackett (Beyond the Shrouded Horizon, 2011)3- Glove Box, by Astralia (Osmosis, 2011)4- Dedalo's Torment, by Astralia (Osmosis, 2011)5- Nothing Box, by Glass Hammer (Cor Cordium, 2011)6- Salvation Station, by Glass Hammer (Cor Cordium, 2011)7- Sectarian, by Steven Wilson (Grace for Drowning, 2011)8- The Physics of Gridlock, by Pain of Salvation (Road Salt Two, 2011)9- Eleven, by Pain of Salvation (Road Salt Two, 2011)10- Island, by Gösta Berlings Saga (Glue Works, 2011)11- The Great Divide, by A Big Goodbye (Sounds & Silence, 2011)12- In My Dreams, by A Big Goodbye (Sounds & Silence, 2011)13- When She Dreams, She Dreams in Color, by Discipline (To Shatter All Accord, 2011)14- Circuitry, by Discipline (To Shatter All Accord, 2011)15- Into This World, by Cosmograf (When Age Has Done Its Duty, 2011)16- On Which We Stand, by Cosmograf (When Age Has Done Its Duty, 2011)17- Sanctuary (The Return), by Alan Reed (Dancing with Ghosts, 2011)18- Teardrops in the Rain, by Alan Reed (Dancing with Ghosts, 2011)19- Baby Lulla Shadows, Parts I & II, by Loonypark (Straw Andy, 2011)20- When Age Has Done Its Duty, by Cosmograf (When Age Has Done Its Duty, 2011)

As always, if you like the music purchase the CDs by following the links above. You'll be encouraging the artists and assuring that they produce more of the music we all love.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Hello everyone. The latest radio show, number 92, is now available for you to download. On this special show I have the great pleasure to speak with Guy Manning about his forthcoming release "Margaret's Children", a follow-up of sorts to his 2006 release "Anser's Tree".

Following the lives of 7 descendents of Margaret Montgomery, the album takes us onajourney through time, recountingthe important momentsin the lives of Margaret's descendants.These storiesare enhanced withmusic thatrecallthe times andplacesthrough whichthe charactersevolve. A worthy follow-up to Anser's Tree, important moments from the last four hundred years are brilliantly examined, not in a didactic way, but strangely in a way that is also a reflection of our current worldwide situation.

Guy has some wonderful insights about this album, and I hope you like the interview... and the songs. About the songs: I only played three from the forthcoming release, a taster if you will, but I added songs from throughout his carreer (well from the albums I do own - I don't have all his CDs unfortunately). The release date is November 7th, and you can pre-order the album at Guy Manning's website.Download show 92 here. The playlist is as follows:

1- Songs from Bilston House, by Manning (Songs from the Bilston House, 2007)2- Margaret Montgomery, by Manning (Anser's Tree, 2006)3- An Average Man, by Manning (Margaret's Children, 2011) - UPCOMING4- No Hiding Place, by Manning (One Small Step, 2005)5- The Calm Absurd, by Manning (Songs from the Bilston House, 2007)6- The Year of Wonder, by Manning (Margaret's Children, 2011) - UPCOMING7- The Southern Waves, by Manning (Margaret's Children, 2011) - UPCOMING8- The House on the Hill, by Manning (Number Ten, 2009)9- The Man in the Mirror, by Manning (Charlestown, 2010)10- Steven, by Alilce Cooper (Welcome to My Nightmare, 1975)11- Finale, by Manning (Charlestown, 2010)

As always, if you like the music, please encourage the artists by purchasing the CDs directly from him, or through your favorite retailer.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

This week, a lot of new music. I was pleasantly surprised to receive the new Shadow Circus single this week. It's their first release since the excellent "Shadows & Screams", an album that received considerable airplay on my show, and it doesn't disappoint. I decided to play the shorter song, simply to give you a taste, but the second track, Rise, is a small epic, well worth picking up.

Lithuanian band The Skys just released their new album Colors of the Desert and it also is an excellent release. On the less complex side of the prog spectrum, it nonetheless holds beautiful songs with great melodies. Welsh band Magenta also just released their new CD Chameleon. With great songs, and the beautiful voice of Christina, Magenta delivers an album, if not full of surprises, at least consistent with their recent releases. As for Airbag's sophomore album, All Rights Removed, it is a much better album than their previous one, which is saying something since "Identity" was excellent.

Other notable releases: The Mercury Tree's Pterodactyls is great, and Matt Stevens' guitar work on "Relics" is flabergasting! Pandora's Sempre e Ovunque is great Italian prog and Majestic, with a three song CD, each over 10 minutes long, delivers a great album with a classic sound. Sweden's Simon Says released a compilation album of songs that mostly appeared on "Various Artists"' albums over the years.

Lastly, Peter Gabriel's New Blood has undeservedly received some negative reviews. Some have said that "Gabriel covers Gabriel badly", but I say that, contrary to his previous covers album "Scratch My Back", this album keeps the spirit and mood of the original songs. Gabriel's voice, as always distinctive, is put front and center, not buried by a band, and the emotions are felt even more profoundly in these versions. Some of the stand-out tracks could be heard on the radio show.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Another Saturday, another IPRS download. This time I cover the Summer's End Festival. Every year this festival attracts bands and fans from all over the world, and this year has certainly not been a disapointment. Of course, we all heard about the bands that were supposed to come and couldn't (Unto Us, K2, Amplifier, most of the members of Sunchild). They were missed, and for most of them it's only a matter of time before they do come to Summer's End, but this year's lineup was excellent.

So to give you a taste of what happend in that small area of England called Lydney, here is a sampling of the artists that did make it, that is all but Concrete Lake, of which I have no recordings. And to top it all off, my friend Peter O'Neill, who has been a Summer's End regular for years, has agreed to do interviews for this radio show. He did a great job, and got to talk to great artists after their shows: Dec Burke, Atony Kalugin, Andy Tillison, and members of Concrete Lake. the sound is a bit raw, and I do apoligize for that, but since the interviews are interesting, I decided it was better to present them than not.

By the way, next week's radio show will have an interview with Guy Manning, and a lot of new music!!

You can download show 90 here. (No longer available). The playlist is as follows:

Friday, October 7, 2011

Hello friends and listeners. These past few weeks have been a boon for prog music lovers, with the new Steve Hackett, Agents of Mercy, Steven Wilson, Pink Floyd, Subsignal, Sunchild, and Jelly Fiche albums all available for purchase. for your listening pleasure, many of those new releases are featured in today's radio show. The new Manning album is also coming up, and I have been lucky enough to hear the new album. I offer you this one song from Margaret's Children, and will have an interview with the man himself in the coming weeks. My friend Andrew Wood went to the K-Scope show at Union Chapel, and has sent his report from the show. As you will hear, he loved it.

In the meantime, I will be seeing The Watch live on Saturday, while another friend, Peter, is in England at the Summer's End Festival for the weekend. He will be reporting on the shows and will send those reports for next week's radio show. Have a great week!

Download radio show #89 here (No longer available). The playlist is as follows:

1- Secret Garden, by Oneira (Natural Prestige, 2011)2- Sea Dreams, by Oneira (Natural Prestige, 2011)3- Panorama, by Oneira (Natural Prestige, 2011)4- Au nom d'Apo Calypso, by Jelly Fiche (Symbiose, 2011)5- Dualité, by Jelly Fiche (Symbiose, 2011)6- Wearing Lies on Your Lips, by Nosound (Slow, It Gows, 2007)7- Be What You Are, by The Engineers8- The Sorry State, by Pineapple Thief (Tightly Unwound, 2008)9- Dreaming Light, by Anathema (We're Here Because We're Here, 2010)10- The Year of Wonders, by Manning (Margaret's Children, 2011) - Forthcoming11- Road to Asheville, by Herd of Instinct (Herd of Instinct, 2011)12- S.Karma, by Herd of Instinct (Herd of Instinct, 2011)13- Vibrissa, by Herd of Instinct (Herd of Instinct, 2011)14- Turn this Island Earth, by Steve Hackett (Beyond the Shrouded Horizon, 2011)15- Between the Sunset and the Coconut Palms, by Steve Hackett (Beyond the Shrouded Horizon, 2011)16- The Black Forest, by Agents of Mercy (The Black Forest, 2011)17- A Quiet Little Town, by Agents of Mercy (The Black Forest, 2011)18- Stars of Cardiff Bay, by Sunchild (As Far as the eye Can See, 2011)19- As Far as the Eye Can See, by Sunchild (As Far as the eye Can See, 2011)20- Feeding Utopia, by Subsignal (Touchstones, 2011)21- Touchstones, by Subsignal (Touchstones, 2011)22- Absalom, by Stick Men (Absalom, 2011)23- Time's Insane Ashes, by Stick Men (Absalom, 2011)24- Crack in the Sky, by Stick Men (Absalom, 2011)

As always, if you love the music then follow the links, or go to your favourite retailer, and purchse the CDs. It's the only way to ensure that artists continue to produce the music we love.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Hello dear listeners, glad to see you here again. This week on the International Prog Rock Rock are a lot of new releases, and some forthcoming ones, most of them double CDs... or more. Let's start with Steve Hackett. His new CD, Beyond the Shrouded Horizon, is available as a one CD or two CD set, and it came out this week. Steven Wilson's Grace for Drowning also came out this week and I only saw it as a two CD set at a very resonable price, really worth it for any music fan. Polish band Millenium's newest output, Puzzles, is also a double album.

But I must say that the winner this week is Pink Floyd. The newly remastered Dark Side of the Moon comes in multiple configurations.First there is the single CD of the Remastered album, then the double CD version, called the Experience version, with the live show taken from the 16 November 1974 Empire Pool show. The single CD version is also available in the Discovery boxset, which includes all 14 Pink Floyd albums. And last, but certainly not least, is the Experience boxset. This last one includes 6 disks, 3 CDs, 2 DVDs, and one BlueRay (and a lot of collectibles that are, quite frankly, not essential). I am quite thrilled at having this version of DSotM, since it includes 2 5.1 mixes and the original Quadrophonic mix from 1974.

As for the other bands featured today: Greylevel, a Canadian band, is great; Anubis's sophomore CD, A Tower is Silence, is even better than their first CD; Myrath's third output is a bit ahrder edged and very enjoyable; and White Willow's newest was worth the wait! Hope you like them and run to your nearest reseller to purchase them.

Next week's show will be a recap of the Summers' End festival being held this weekend in England. I'll have a special guest commenting on the shows, and hoefully talking with some of the bands.

To download show 88 click here (No longer available).The playlist was as follows:1. A Place Called Freedom, by Steve Hackett (Beyond the Shrouded Horizon, 2011)2. Terminal, by Greylevel (Hypostatic Union, 2011)3. Already, Not Yet, by Greylevel (Hypostatic Union, 2011)4. A Tower of Silence, by Anubis (A Tower of Silence, 2011)5. The Passing Bell, by Anubis (A Tower of Silence, 2011)6. Archway of Tears, by Anubis (A Tower of Silence, 2011)7. Eden?, by Millenium (Puzzles, 2011)8. The Tree of Knowledge, by Millenium (Puzzles, 2011)9. Puzzled, by Millenium (Puzzles, 2011)10. Visions, by Haken (Visions, 2011)11. Tales of the Sands, by Myrath (Tales of the Sands, 2011)12. Beyond the Stars, by Myrath (Tales of the Sands, 2011)13. Braving the Seas, by Myrath (Tales of the Sands, 2011)14. Searise, by White Willow (Terminal Twilight, 2011)15. Kansas Regrets, by White Willow (Terminal Twilight, 2011)16. Remainder the Black Dog, by Steven Wilson (Grace for Drowning, 2011)17. Deform to Form a Star, by Steven Wilson (Grace for Drowning, 2011)18. Money (Live), by Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon 2011 Remastered)19. Us and Them (Live), by Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon 2011 Remastered)

As always, if you love the music, purchase the CDs so that the artists may live off of their work and continue producing this excellent music we call Prog!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Hello dear listeners. This week's radio show showcases cover version. I tried to find the most interesting cover version done by prog and non-prog artists. Most interesting, for me, means that the song isn't a note for note copy of the original. I also tried to find studio versions, as most bands who do cover versions do them live for the enjoyement of the public. And wouldn't you know it, I found tons of them, although I didn't have time to play them all, it being a three hour radio show.

As most listeners will know by now, the radio show started a little late on UK70sProgrock, so if you tuned out because you thought the show wasn't going to air, here is your chance to hear the show in it's entirety.

To download show 87 click here (No longer available)!

The playlist is as follows:

1. No Quarter, by Quidam (The Time Beneath the Sky, 2002)2. When the Levee Breaks, by Stream of Passion (Out in the Real World, 2006)3. Kashmir, by Kevin Gilbert (Nuts, 2010)4. My Body Is a Cage, by Peter Gabriel (Scratch My Back, 2010)5. Thank You, by Steven Wilson (Cover Version I, 2003)6. The Chauffeur, by The Reasoning (The Chauffeur CDS, 2009)7. Diary of a Madman, by Nemo (Les Enfants Rois, 2006)8. Sufragette City, by IQ (Frequency Tour CD, 2008)9. Moonchild, by Rafael Pacha (Impermanencia, 2011)10. Starless, by Crimson Jazz Trio (King Crimson Songbook Volume 1, 2005)11. 21st Century Schizoid Man, by ELP (The Return of the Manticoew, 1993)12. Lucky Man, by Magenta (Lucky Man CDS, 2010)13. Living Sin, by Headspace (YouTube version, 2011)14. Knife Edge, by Star One (Victims of the Modern Age, 2010)15. The Endless Enigma, by Mastermind (Angels of the Apocalypse, 2000)16. Set the Control for the Heart of the Sun, by OSI (OSI, 2003)17. Cymbaline, by RPWL (A Tribute to Pink Floyd, 2001)18. Wish You Were Here, by Radiohead (The Golden Unplugged Bootleg, 1996)19. Time, by Mary Fahl (From the Dark Side of the Moon, 2011)20. Master of Time, by Big Big Train (Far Skies Deep Time, 2010)21. Let Us Now Make Love, by The Watch (Timeless, 2011)22. Entangled, by Paul D'Adamo (Tell Me Something, 2010)23. The Carpet Crawlers, by Franck Carducci (Oddity, 2011)24. Cinema Show, by The Flower Kings (Scanning the Greenhouse, 1998)25. The Way the Waters Are Moving, by Unitopia (A Flower Full of Stars, 2011)

As always, if you love the music, follow the links to purchase the CDs, or go to your favourite retailer.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Hello dear listeners! Yesterday's IPRS, the one that aired on UK70s Prog Rock, is now available for download for those of you that prefer listening to the radio show through your iPods or any other listening device you own. I am pressed for time today, so the post will be short, but let me talk a bit about the featured album from this week's show.

Most of the time I receive CDs from the bands or from the distributors, or I simply buy the CDs through my favorite Cd shop. I review these CDs (I know, I know, I'm abit late in posting these reviews, but don't worry, they will come), and choose some of the best songs, in my opinion, to play on the radio show. But I also visit the web, especially a website called bandcamp, and just listen to what is new and upcoming. This week I discovered this new artist through this aforementioned website.

Bader Nana is an musician born in Lebanon and now based in Kuwait, not exactly Prog havens or the usual places where you figure prog will flourish. But give the music a chance and you will discover a rich and interesting artist that has a great future in the prog world, and a CD that will be a great addition to your music library. Wormwood is the name of the CD, and the songs relate a story. Of course, for people that know a bit about the bible, Wormwood is the name of a star that falls on the Earth, as told in the book of Revelations, but it also is a term used whn there is a nuclear accident, and this is the theme of the CD.

This CD won't disapoint, and it's free on Bader Nana's bandcamp site (at least for now). I don't know how Bader intends to make money out of this (I will try to contact him for an interview), buit I do hope that he starts charging soon and be rewarded by the fruit of his labout for this wonderful album.

Anyway, on with the links and the playlists, and talk to you soon. You can download show 86 here (No longer available) and listen to all the new music before you buy.

The playlist is as follows:

1. The Answer, by Bader Nana (Wormwood, 2011)2. Quarantine, by Bader Nana (Wormwood, 2011)3. The Plague, by Bader Nana (Wormwood, 2011)4. Destroyer of Worlds, by Bader Nada (Wormwood, 2011)5. Daylight, by Proto-Kaw (Forth, 2011)6. Cold and Clear, by Proto-Kaw (Forth, 2011)7. Utopian Dream, by Proto-Kaw (Forth, 2011)8. All the Lights in Town, by The Watch (Planet Earth?, 2010)9. One Day, by The Watch (Timeless, 2011)10. End of the Road, by The Watch (Timeless, 2011)11. The Battle of Epping Forest, by Genesis (Live at the Rainbow 1973, 2009)12. The Cinema Show, by Genesis (Live at the Rainbow 1973, 2009)13. Twilight Alehouse/Another Life, by The Watch (Live, 2008)14. Absalom, by Stick Men (Absalom, 2011)15. Smudge, by Stick Men (Absalom, 2011)16. Crack in the Sky, by Stick Men (Absalom, 2011)17. All That You Deserve, by Freegh (Freegh, 2011)18. Akasha, Part I, by Freegh (Freegh, 2011)19. Akasha, Part II, by Freegh (Freegh, 2011)20. Incence and Myrrh, by Arch/Matheos (Sympathetic Resonance, 2011)21. Any Given Day, by Arch/Matheos (Sympathetic Resonance, 2011)22. Floating, by The Dive (The Dive, 2011)

As always, if you like the music, buy the CDs through your favorite retailer, and in that way you encourage the musicians to produce new music, and of course help in their livelihood.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Here at IPRS Central it was a sad week. Coming back from a beautiful weekend in the mountains north of Montreal, I heard the news Neil Pepper, a friend of this show, had lost his battle with cancer. For the past two years he fought valiantly, keeping us posted through his Facebook page, he continued recording with his band Galahad, and he never lost hope. That is why the first hour of this week's show is dedicated to him. I would especially like to thank Dean "Deano" Baker, keyboardist of Galahad for mixing 2 songs especially for the IPRS, and the members of Galahad and Josephine Pepper, for allowing me to play these songs on this radio show.

As for the rest of the radio show, I showcase more recently released music. Two of them, the new Opeth and the new Dream Theater, are real surprises for me. Let me elaborate.

Opeth have never really been my cup of tea. Some of their music I really enjoy, while the whole "death grunts" period... well let's just say I can do without it. But this latest release shows a maturity and a thoughtfulness I never would have imagined. Obviously I cannot claim to know all of their music, but from what I have heard I can affirm that "Heritage" is the album that will open them up to a whole new audience, like myself.

As for the latest Dream Theater, this is a band that I have been following for quite a while. I must first say that I am a fan of Mike Portnoy. He is an incredible drummer, very inventive, on par with Neil Peart, and a very nice guy. Even his side-projects were interesting (Transatlantic, OSI, etc.). When he was fired by the band he helped create the news was devastating. Some people vowed never to listen to DT ever again. Well, these same people might have to re-assess their position! The new CD, "A Dramatic turn of Events" is everything we came to love about Dream Theater. While the last few releases were technically marvellous, musically it seemed that they had lost their steam. Well this new release is a return to form, and the new drummer, Mike Mangini, really is up to the task.

Both these CDs will be released next week, so go ahead and purchase them, they are both worth it.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Hello dear listeners, and
welcome to another International Prog Rock Show! Today we have a varied bag of
prog music from Australia, the US, the UK, Portugal, Spain, France, and
Argentina.

But first, a couple of
announcements. I added some more festivals in the Festival tab of this blog. As
most of you know, ProgDay starts today at Chapel Hill (some of you might
already be there). The lineup has somewhat changed since Quantum Fantay were
unable to arrive in the States in time for the concert due to last week's
hurricain. Their headline spot has been taken by Sweden's Freak Kitchen. It
promises to be a fantastic weekend of prog music, as always.

In other news, Ian Anderson
has announced on the Jethro Tull website that he will be touring the Thick As A
Brick album starting in April 2012 to celebrate its 40th anniversary. I haven't
read anywhere in the official press releases that the whole Tull band will be
performing, but one can surely wish!

And lastly, last week's
contest still hasn't been claimed. So, if you want to win a pai of tickets to
go see The Watch in Montreal on October 8th (be sure that you can be in
Montreal on that date), you simply have to download last week's IPRS (show#83), and reply to the question asked during the show by sending your answer at
progrockshow(at)hotmail.com (replace the (at) by @ when replying). I will
contact the winner by email.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Boy, you go away for two weeks on vacation and the whole world goes topsy-turvy: riots in the UK, the US is downgraded, and now hurricane Irene threatens the north american eastern coast (where I was 'til a couple of days ago on vacation...).

At least we still have good music to listen too and to discover, and this week, as I come to the end of my second year hosting this radio show, I have a lot of new music by very interesting young bands as well as a few classic prog bands, starting with a teaser from Steven Wilson's forthcoming Grace For Drowning CD and closing with a revisited classic album by the band that created it: the Strawb's Hero & Heroine "à la mode" of 2011. In between we will discover bands from the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

As a special bonus, I also have a contest to win a pair of tickets for The Watch's show here in Montreal on Saturday October 8th 2011. The tickets are courtesy of www.uk70sprogrock.com, the internet radio station on which this show is aired every Friday from 2PM EST to 5PM. Listen to the show, answer the question, and send me your answer at progrockshow"at"hotmail.com (replace the "at" by the @ sign) and I will announce the winner on the air. Be sure you can come to the show before answering, and we'll meet at the gig!!!

You can download show 83 here! (No longer available)

The playlist for show 83:

1. Track One, by Steven Wilson (Grace for Drowning, 2011) - Forthcoming.2. Salvaging, by Steven Wilson (Insurgents, 2008)3. A Forest, by Steven Wilson (Cover Versions III, 2005)4. Wounded (I &amp; II), by AltaVia (Girt Dog, 2011)5. Another Lie, by AltaVia (Girt Dog, 2011)6. The New Crusade, by Konchordat (The New Crusade, 2011)7. Panic Room, by Konchordat (The New Crusade, 2011)8. Emptiness, by Ignatius (Lights from the Deep, 2011)9. Morning Moon, by Ignatius (Lights from the Deep, 2011)10. Alexa in the Cage, by The RedZen (Void, 2011)11. Into the Void, by The RedZen (Void, 2011)12. Return to Kolkata, by The RedZen (Void, 2011)13. End of the Road, by The Watch (Timeless, 2011)14. (???), by The Watch (Timeless, 2011)15. God Is a Delay, by Suchtmaschine (God Is a Delay, 2011)16. Zehn Minuten, by Suchtmaschine (God Is a Delay, 2011)17. Hero and Heroine, by The Strawbs (Hero & Heroine in Ascencia, 2011)18. Out in the Cold, by The Strawbs (Hero & Heroine in Ascencia, 2011)19. Round and Round, by The Strawbs (Hero & Heroine in Ascencia, 2011)

As always, if you like the music and wish to purchase the CDs, click on the links provided, or purchasse the CDs through your favourite retailer.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

This first radio show of August has a good selection of new releases by a variety of bands. First off is Fair to Midlan, an american band that was introduced to me by my good friend Andrew Wood (whom you might remember from last week's High Voltage re-cap special). Arrows & Anchors is their 4th release, a reviews are pretty positive.

Next up is argentinian band Uranian. How I came to discover this band is a funny story, one which I talk about during the radio show so I won't repeat it here. Suffice it to say that reviews of their first CD, three songs of which are played here, are overwhelmingly positive, and I add my own 5 stars to this excellent release.

Sweden's Wolverine has released their 4th CD this year, and at it's release I played only one song off of it. I remedy the situation by playing two more from this excellent prog metal band.

Germany's Shades of Dawn have also released their 4th CD, and Frequency Drift, also from Germany, have recently released their 3rd. Graffiti's Rainbow is Shades of Dawn's first ever epic track, clocking at 25 minutes. Frequency Drift, whose first two releases I absolutely loved, have had some personel changes, and Ghosts, this latest release, reflect that.

Three years after the "Who's the Boss in the Factory?", Sweden's Karmakanic comes back with "In a Perfect World", an excellent release from this Flower Kings offshoot. As for british guitarist Liam Davison of Mostly Autumn, "A Treasure of Well-Set Jewels" is his first solo release, and a great release it is. Very melodic with well written songs.

American band Circa's third release "And So On" (if you don't count "Overflow" which was release only thru iTunes) sounds like an offshoot of Yes, which they are. In fact, they continue in the tradition of the Yes album "Open Your Eyes" on which Billy Sherwood played guitars and keyboards.

Alternativ Quartet's second release "Aripi" is an excellent example of Eclectic Prog. This romanian band has many influences ranging from a classic space rock kind of atmospheres, with a modern, Tool-like sound, and a post-metal songwriting style. An excellent sophomore release.

Portugal's Daymoon is an unsigned band wich deserves greater airplay. Their first release "All Tomorrows" has excellent musicianship and interestingly complex music. This is a very interesting band that shows a lot of promise. And for 1 euro, this album it is truely a steal.

You can download the IPRS radio show number 82 here! (No longer available)

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Hello Proggers! In this latest IPRS, my good friend Andrew Barnsley Wood sent his comments about last week's high Voltage Festival. Andrew went to the pre-show on Friday, and then spent the whole of Saturday on site. His views on what he saw and heard are a good indication of how the day went - from strength to strength.

In the second part of the show, I offer an interview I did with Mark Trueack of Unitopia. With the forthcoming release of the live DVD (which you can pre-order here), the Covered Mirror CD set to launch in October, Mark's solo project (Hope), and a small Australian tour in the fall, he is a busy guy! Thanks again to Mark for the time he spent out of his busy schedule!

You can download IPRS show #81 here! (No longer available).

The playlist is as follows:

1. The Thirteenth Hour, by The Reasoning (Adverse Camber, 2010)2. 14, by The Reasoning (Adverse Camber, 2010)3. Kiss a Wish, by Von Hertzen Brothers (Approach, 2006)4. Freedom Fighter, by Von Hertzen Brothers (Love Remains the Same, 2008)5. Trading Dark Matter on the Stock Exchange, by Amplifier (The Octopus, 2010)6. Dissassociation, by Caravan (In the Land of Grey and Pink, 1971)7. Everything, by Anathema (We're Here Because We're Here, 2010)8. Universal, by Anathema (We're Here Because We're Here, 2010)9. The Devils That I Keep, by Barclay James Harvest (Nexus, 1998)10. Festival, by Barclay James Harvest (Nexus, 1998)11. Breathe In Breath Out, by RPWL (The Live RPWL Experience, 2010)12. Hole in the Sky, by RPWL (Live - Start the Fire, 2005)13.Common Goal, by Unitopia (More Than A Dream, 2005)14. The Garden, by Unitopia (The Garden, 2008)15. Not Human Anymore, by Unitopia (One Night in Europe, 2011) - Forthcoming16. The Great Reward, by Unitopia (One Night in Europe, 2011) - Forthcoming17. The Silent Mirror, by Unitopia (Covered Mirror, 2011) - Forthcoming18. What Kinf od World, by Unitopia (Artificial, 2010)19. More Than a Dream, by Unitopia (More Than a Dream, 2005)20. Backbone, by Ennis Tola (Backbone CDS, 2011)

As always, if you like the music the purchase the CDs. Simply follow the links!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

This is becoming a yearly tradition, the High Voltage Festival IPRS Special. This year I concentrated on the Prog Stage events. Today you'll hear music by bands old and new, established and up-and-coming. All interesting. So here, for your listening enjoyment is the link to download this past Friday's International Prog Rock Show #80 (No longer available). Next week I'll have on-the-spot comments from everone's favorite brit - Andrew "Barnsley" Wood - as he sees and hears most of the shows at High Voltage (and I'll play some of the songs he mentions... if he mentions any!), plus an interview with Mark Truack of Unitopia about upcoming releases, shows, and everything under the sun.

Friday, July 15, 2011

The latest edition of the International Prog Rock Show has aired today on UK70s Prog Rock. Unfortunately it aired an hour later than scheduled. This was beyond my control, and I hope that listeners didn't mind hearing the end of the Keith Emerson Band live in Moscow before my show aired (I certainly didn't mind hearing Tarkus live again).This week the featured band is Lazuli, a French band in the Eclectic Prog genre. Their latest release, 4603 Battements (meaning 4603 Beats), has enchanted me. From the opening clock sounds of "(", followed by the unrelenting "Je te laisse ce monde", with chords that resemble Genesis' Tonight Tonight Tonight, to "Festin ultime" wich ends with a reprise of "Je te laisse ce monde" in the form of the closing parenthesis ")", this whole album is a must for any prog fan. All the songs are sung in french, obviously, but this shouldn't scare off fans who don't understand the language.

This is not to mean that the other bands featured here are not worthy of your attention.

Monday, July 11, 2011

My friend Truey of Unitopia has, with his band, just complete the mix of their latest output, a DVD of their show of 15 October 2010 at the Boerderij, in Zoetermeer, The Netherlands. Pre-sale starts next Monday on the 18th of July on the Unitopia website only. The DVD will be released on the 15th of September. A Double CD of is also available for pre-order. When pre-ordering, you also get a free download of a new song off of their "More Than A Dream - A Dream within a Dream" CD.

For information about the track list, and to see the beautiful covers done by Ed Unitsky, drop by their website, and pre-order both, as I will!

BTW, I will have a chat with Truey next week for inclusion in an upcoming IPRS. Stay tuned!

About the IPRS

Prog World is broadcast every Saturday at 8 PM GMT on http://www.rivergibbsfm.com/, and repeated on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays.
Artist or promoter submitions are welcome. E-mail to find out where to send CDs and promotional material.